The matrix vesicle cargo miR-125b accumulates in the bone matrix, inhibiting bone resorption in mice

Communication between osteoblasts and osteoclasts plays a key role in bone metabolism. We describe here an unexpected role for matrix vesicles (MVs), which bud from boneforming osteoblasts and have a well-established role in initiation of bone mineralization, in osteoclastogenesis. We show that the MV cargo miR-125b accumulates in the bone matrix, with increased accumulation in transgenic (Tg) mice overexpressing miR-125b in osteoblasts. Bone formation and osteoblasts in Tg mice are normal, but the number of bone-resorbing osteoclasts is reduced, leading to higher trabecular bone mass. miR-125b in the bone matrix targets and degrades Prdm1, a transcriptional repressor of anti-osteoclastogenic factors, in osteoclast precursors. Overexpressing miR-125b in osteoblasts abrogates bone loss in different mouse models. Our results show that the MV cargo miR-125b is a regulatory element of osteoblast-osteoclast communication, and that bone matrix provides extracellular storage of miR-125b that is functionally active in bone resorption.T.M. and Y.T. were supported in part by MEXT KAKENHI (JP16K11443, T.M.; JP26861548, Y.T.). Y.Y. was supported by MEXT KAKENHI (JP18K19647), the Raffinee International Foundation and the Ono Pharmaceutical Foundation.Supplementary information is available for this paper at https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-020-0754-2

Parathyroid Hormone Mediates Hematopoietic Cell Expansion through Interleukin-6

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) stimulates hematopoietic cells through mechanisms of action that remain elusive. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is upregulated by PTH and stimulates hematopoiesis. The purpose of this investigation was to identify actions of PTH and IL-6 in hematopoietic cell expansion. Bone marrow cultures from C57B6 mice were treated with fms-like tyrosine kinase-3 ligand (Flt-3L), PTH, Flt-3L plus PTH, or vehicle control. Flt-3L alone increased adherent and non-adherent cells. PTH did not directly impact hematopoietic or osteoclastic cells but acted in concert with Flt-3L to further increase cell numbers. Flt-3L alone stimulated proliferation, while PTH combined with Flt-3L decreased apoptosis. Flt-3L increased blasts early in culture, and later increased CD45+ and CD11b+ cells. In parallel experiments, IL-6 acted additively with Flt-3L to increase cell numbers and IL-6-deficient bone marrow cultures (compared to wildtype controls) but failed to amplify in response to Flt-3L and PTH, suggesting that IL-6 mediated the PTH effect. In vivo, PTH increased Lin- Sca-1+c-Kit+ (LSK) hematopoietic progenitor cells after PTH treatment in wildtype mice, but failed to increase LSKs in IL-6-deficient mice. In conclusion, PTH acts with Flt-3L to maintain hematopoietic cells by limiting apoptosis. IL-6 is a critical mediator of bone marrow cell expansion and is responsible for PTH actions in hematopoietic cell expansion

miRNA-30 family members inhibit breast cancer invasion, osteomimicry, and bone destruction by directly targeting multiple bone metastasis–associated genes

miRNAs are master regulators of gene expression that play key roles in cancer metastasis. During bone metastasis, metastatic tumor cells must rewire their biology and express genes that are normally expressed by bone cells (a process called osteomimicry), which endow tumor cells with full competence for outgrowth in the bone marrow. Here, we establish miR-30 family members miR-30a, miR-30b, miR-30c, miR-30d, and miR-30e as suppressors of breast cancer bone metastasis that regulate multiple pathways, including osteomimicry. Low expression of miR-30 in primary tumors from patients with breast cancer were associated with poor relapse-free survival. In addition, estrogen receptor (ER)-negative/progesterone receptor (PR)-negative breast cancer cells expressed lower miR-30 levels than their ER/PR-positive counterparts. Overexpression of miR-30 in ER/PR-negative breast cancer cells resulted in the reduction of bone metastasis burden in vivo. In vitro, miR-30 did not affect tumor cell proliferation, but did inhibit tumor cell invasion. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-30 restored bone homeostasis by reversing the effects of tumor cell–conditioned medium on osteoclastogenesis and osteoblastogenesis. A number of genes associated with osteoclastogenesis stimulation (IL8, IL11), osteoblastogenesis inhibition (DKK-1), tumor cell osteomimicry (RUNX2, CDH11), and invasiveness (CTGF, ITGA5, ITGB3) were identified as targets for repression by miR-30. Among these genes, silencing CDH11 or ITGA5 in ER-/PR-negative breast cancer cells recapitulated inhibitory effects of miR-30 on skeletal tumor burden in vivo. Overall, our findings provide evidence that miR-30 family members employ multiple mechanisms to impede breast cancer bone metastasis and may represent attractive targets for therapeutic intervention. Significance: These findings suggest miR-30 family members may serve as an effective means to therapeutically attenuate metastasis in triple-negative breast cancer

A new murine model of osteoblastic/osteolytic lesions from human androgen-resistant prostate cancer

BACKGROUND: Up to 80% of patients dying from prostate carcinoma have developed bone metastases that are incurable. Castration is commonly used to treat prostate cancer. Although the disease initially responds to androgen blockade strategies, it often becomes castration-resistant (CRPC for Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer). Most of the murine models of mixed lesions derived from prostate cancer cells are androgen sensitive. Thus, we established a new model of CRPC (androgen receptor (AR) negative) that causes mixed lesions in bone. METHODS: PC3 and its derived new cell clone PC3c cells were directly injected into the tibiae of SCID male mice. Tumor growth was analyzed by radiography and histology. Direct effects of conditioned medium of both cell lines were tested on osteoclasts, osteoblasts and osteocytes. RESULTS: We found that PC3c cells induced mixed lesions 10 weeks after intratibial injection. In vitro, PC3c conditioned medium was able to stimulate tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive osteoclasts. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) and endothelin-1 (ET1) were highly expressed by PC3c while dikkopf-1 (DKK1) expression was decreased. Finally, PC3c highly expressed bone associated markers osteopontin (OPN), Runx2, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone sialoprotein (BSP) and produced mineralized matrix in vitro in osteogenic conditions. CONCLUSIONS: We have established a new CRPC cell line as a useful system for modeling human metastatic prostate cancer which presents the mixed phenotype of bone metastases that is commonly observed in prostate cancer patients with advanced disease. This model will help to understand androgen-independent mechanisms involved in the progression of prostate cancer in bone and provides a preclinical model for testing the effects of new treatments for bone metastases

Estrogen Receptor Related Receptor Alpha (ERRα) in Skeletal Tissues

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An energetic orphan in an endocrine tissue: A revised perspective of the function of estrogen receptor-related receptor alpha in bone and cartilage

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Effects of Estrogens on Osteoimmunology: A Role in Bone Metastasis

International audienceBone loss associated with estrogen deficiency indicates a fundamental role of these hormones in skeletal growth and bone remodeling. In the last decades, growing recent evidence demonstrated that estrogens can also affect the immune compartment of the bone. In this review, we summarize the impacts of estrogens on bone immune cells and their consequences on bone homeostasis, metastasis settlement into the bone and tumor progression. We also addressed the role of an orphan nuclear receptor ERRalpha (“Estrogen-receptor Related Receptor alpha”) on macrophages and T lymphocytes, and as an immunomodulator in bone metastases. Hence, this review links estrogens to bone immune cells in osteo-oncology

Targeting Bone Metastasis in Cancers

This Special Issue of Cancers covers different aspects of bone physiopathology in oncology that combine the microenvironment and the factors involved in bone metastasis dormancy and progression [...

Cathepsin K inhibitors as treatment of bone metastasis

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